Most virologists are not terrified of gain-of-function research the way the public is...

- BSL4 is really, really stringent, and these requirements and review processes are strictly regulated across the board

- Most modifications researchers are actually capable of, nature is capable of producing something way scarier. Researchers are making tiny tweaks in comparison to the zoonotic exposure in everyday life that has brought us viruses that do things we never imagined

- Most gain of function tweaks weaken some other aspect, for example the way contagiousness and lethality are at odds

- It's considered rather unlikely that COVID-19 came about via gain of function research, despite how much the public wants this to be true

- It is quite useful for research, a lot is learned by doing it